• Spend $287,955 for a public highway at-grade crossing agreement with Union Pacific Railroad Co. to reconstruct and widen the John Stockbauer Drive at-grade railroad and public road crossing

• Annex 82.37 acres of land owned by the city

Victoria Public Works is expected to move forward with relocating from the Navarro Del Norte building the City Council sold March 5.

The City Council is expected to vote Tuesday to spend $152,000 to design a public works building in a new location on Southwest Ben Jordan Street, near the Hand Road intersection, in addition to seven other spending issues totaling about $1 million.

Mayor Will Armstrong said the goal is that the new site will be a practical location for the public works department.

"We want to get re-established as quickly as we can," he said. "We're basically in a residential neighborhood."

This is the same 80-acre site purchased for the new wastewater treatment plant and where the fire department's training facility was recently constructed.

As for the other spending, Armstrong said it is all business.

"We can't put the city on hold every time we have an election," he said. "Business is business, and running the city is business. It needs to be steady as it goes."

City Manager Charmelle Garrett said the plan is not to have a transitional site.

"Our hope is to be in the new Public Works building around March or April of next year," she said.

The total project is estimated to cost $2 million, which will be covered by the $1.4 million from the sale of Navarro Del Norte and the Huvar Street property, she said.

Councilwoman Josephine Soliz said the city will accept the annexation of the property first.

She said, "$150,000 is not a lot of money compared to the overall project."

The six-acre Navarro Del Norte property sold to Randolph Wile, a trustee for a Houston developer, for $1.4 million.

According to information from the city, the budget amendment will provide funding for the design, bidding and construction phase management of the project.

The proposed facility includes a single building containing offices and warehouse space, secure parking for city vehicles and equipment, employee parking, a covered wash rack and a fuel station.

It is expected to improve efficiency of the department by keeping equipment and employees closer to the materials stockpiles and spoil disposal site.

The City Council is expected to vote April 5 on resolutions to execute contracts with Rawley McCoy & Associates and Urban Engineering.